Kenneth C. Carter, PhD
Co-Founder and Chairman, Noble Life Sciences
Executive Chairman of Neuralstem, Inc.
The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) is pleased to highlight alumnus, Kenneth C. Carter, PhD. Dr. Carter received his PhD from the Human Genetics and Cell Biology Graduate Program (now called the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Program) in 1989. He conducted his dissertation research under the mentorship of Dr. John Papaconstantinou.
Dr. Carter is a former academic scientist with extensive experience translating academic technologies and product candidates into the corporate setting. He is an entrepreneur who has been involved in the formation and early stage development of several companies as a co-founder, consultant, or a member of the board of the directors. He currently serves as Senior Advisor and Head of Business Development at Innoforce, and the Executive Chairman at Neuralstem, Inc. He is the former CEO of Nexlmmune Inc., a start-up company pioneering an innovative approach to immunotherapy that he developed at Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Carter is also a co-founder and chairman at Noble Life Sciences, a venture management and investment partnership located in Montgomery County, Maryland. He has been involved in the formation and early stage development of several biotechnology companies as a co-founder, consultant or member of the board of directors, including Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc, where he was CEO for ten years. Under Dr. Carter’s leadership, Avalon developed a unique biomarker-based drug discovery and development engine; completed an IPO on the NASDAQ market; and established partnerships with Merck, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, and AstraZeneca/MedImmune and several academic institutions including the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Carter was a successful academic researcher. He has published more than 50 high impact scientific papers and is also an inventor of record on several dozen submitted or issued patents. Dr. Carter has served on multiple advisory boards including the National BIO Industry Organization and the Advisory Council for the Center for Biotechnology Education at Johns Hopkins University, where he holds an adjunct faculty appointment. Congratulations to Dr. Carter as the GSBS 50th Anniversary December alumnus!